1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an electrophotographic imaging apparatus such as a laser printer, and, more particularly, to such an imaging apparatus including multiple printhead assemblies and photoconductive drums.
2. Description of the Related Art
An electrophotographic imaging apparatus, such as a laser printer, may be configured as a multi-color imaging apparatus for producing color images on a print medium. In a tri-color imaging apparatus, it is known to provide four separate toner reservoirs which contain different color toners. For example, a first toner reservoir may contain yellow toner; a second toner reservoir may contain magenta toner; a third toner reservoir may contain cyan toner; and a fourth toner reservoir may contain black toner. Each toner reservoir is positioned in association with a photoconductive (PC) drum on which a latent image is formed using a laser beam which is projected from a printhead assembly. The laser beam projects against the peripheral surface of the PC drum at an angle of incidence relative to a line extending through an axis of rotation of the PC drum and the point of incidence of the laser beam. The laser beam is scanned across the peripheral surface of the PC drum along a line extending parallel to the axis of rotation of the drum. In an image forming apparatus as described above, the printhead assemblies may be configured substantially identical to each other. Moreover, the printhead assemblies are configured to project the scanned laser beam at identical angles to the PC drum along lines of incidence which are positioned at the same relative position from one drum to another. Although such a configuration provides high quality printing, geometric constraints associated with such an arrangement tend to increase the packaging size of the imaging apparatus.
What is needed in the art is an EP imaging apparatus which provides high quality printing with a reduced overall packaging size.